Thread: Motorbike fuel tank repairer

Hi People,

A friend has struck a brickwall so to speak.

He has a grand prix something with an aluminum tank that has been damaged in a stack. He can buy a fibreglass tank but wants to keep it original.

Any one know a custom tank maker or repairer. He would like to approach the person directly instead of through a bike shop to save the on costs.

Sydney would be good but i guess it could be freighted.

Thanks

How bent or mangled is it, and how thin is the material? If it is minor damage, and fairly thin walled, it might be possible to work it back with compressed air pressure.

The next option would be to have a paintless dent removal guy massage it back. These guys can work miracles pushing things back from inside with an assortment of tools on probes while viewing the outer surface and finding the tool location behind the panel. If the paint hasn't been cracked or damaged in the initial incident, they can normally restore the panel without damaging the finish.

Beyond that any good car or bike restorer should be able to work with it. The car guys in particular can take a few components, locate a few pictures from old, and tin bash a car body, guards, bonnets etc from scratch. They work in steel and ali, so that would not be hassle in concept.

They could for example, seperate the tank halves, prepare forms etc, and hand hammer a replacement tank half, then rejoin the original and replacement halves. Original finish would mostly lost, and one half of the tank. Alternate approaches would include straight panel beating, or cutting out a damaged section, forming a replacement section, welding it in and fairing up.

However, a lot of people aren't happy about naked flame and fuel tanks, so that may be a consideration.

Outsider any chance of a photo of the damage I am not far away Liverpool
The damage maybe workable many fuel tanks these days are double skinned

Thanks Wheelin & Mal apparently he used to know a few who dis this sort of work but has lost touch. He is a really capable metal worker but recons metal that thin should be left to those who specialize.

He was really looking for a recommendation from some one who may have been in a similar situation.

Thanks again

Yep Brian totally agree repairing light/thin Alli is specialist job thank goodness I don't know anyone else that does it.

Wheelin,

Sorry Are you saying you do these repairs or were you just interested.

My mate does not know I have asked the question. He just asked if I knew anyone. If you can do the job I will put him in touch if he is ready to do the job.

Thanks

I have done alli repairs
not fuel tanks quite thin material it depends on the damage and if its a polished tank or not.

a photo would help